Geometry Constrained N-(5,6,7-Trihydroquinolin-8-ylidene)arylaminopalladium Dichloride Complexes: Catalytic Behavior toward Methyl Acrylate (MA), Methyl Acrylate-co-Norbornene (MA-co-NB) Polymerization and Heck Coupling

A new pair of plladium complexes (Pd4 and Pd5) ligated with constrained N-(5,6,7-trihydroquinolin-8-ylidene)arylamine ligands have been prepared and well characterized by (1)H-, (13)C-NMR and FTIR spectroscopies as well as elemental analysis. The molecular structure of Pd4 and Pd5 in solid state have also been determined by X-ray diffraction, showing slightly distorted square planar geometry around the palladium metal center. All complexes Pd1–Pd5 are revealed highly efficient catalyst in methyl acrylate (MA) polymerization as well as methyl acrylate/norbornene (MA/NB) copolymerization. In the case of MA polymerization, as high as 98.4% conversion with high molecular weight up to 6282 kg·mol(−1) was achieved. Likewise, Pd3 complex has good capability to incorporate about 18% NB content into MA polymer chains. Furthermore, low catalyst loadings (0.002 mol %) of Pd4 or Pd5 are able to efficiently mediate the coupling of haloarenes with styrene affording up to 98% conversion.